Introduction
ESTROLABS is a bare metal technology lab.
This lab is theory and practice based, focused on better understanding of the modern systems we use today and exploring whether they live up to the standards they could reach, or if better approaches exist.
Modern computing has a serious issue where systems are built by bolting layers on top of each other, creating environments so fragile that a single bug can take down large parts of the stack.
We need to better understand low-level elements and ask whether, with the knowledge and technology we have now , these systems could be built differently.
This will be a long term process, but it is necessary to ensure we are building and living in a technological world that is effective, understandable and resilient.
Core Principles
Design
Design is not just about art or unique visual twists.
Design is about UI that is intuitive and focused on user experience.
It also includes architecture, structure, and how logic processes data within a system.
In simple terms, design is UI/UX and how the system is structured to work correctly, securely and efficiently.
Design ensures that features are not bolted on, but fit together as part of a coherent jigsaw.
Security
Security is not a feature, an add-on or an optional component.
It is a fundamental building block of any system or application.
Security must be treated as a foundational requirement, not something added later.
Without security built into the systems structure you create fragile defence, easier attack paths and predictable vulnerabilities.
Performance
Performance is about efficiency and effectiveness, not just raw speed.
Relying on speed alone is unpredictable and unreliable in real-world use.
Systems should aim for predictable, measurable performance.
Performance should allow hardware and software to operate efficiently, without software unnecessarily limiting what the hardware is capable of.
How Work Happens
Every project starts as an idea that is investigated and researched.
Each project uses a version-based system, where every project begins with a default version called the MVP (Minimum Viable Product).
If a project is improved, extended, or explored in a new direction, a new version is created rather than changing the original.
Each version can move through the following stages:
- Research - understanding the topic and background
- Prototype - building small experiments to see how ideas work in practice
- Requirements - defining scope and constraints
- Design - designing logic, structure, and UI/UX
- Implementation - writing the code / Creating the product / system
- Testing - validating functionality, behavior and quality
- Review - reviewing code, documentation, and whether ideas align
- Deploy - tasks related to releasing a usable product
- Marketing - documentation or materials related to communicating the work
These stages do not follow a strict order.
Work can move back and forth between stages as needed to support flexibility and adaptation.
All work across these stages are documented to show progress, reasoning, trade-offs and real-world decisions.
Readers can follow a project from its first version through later iterations or focus only on the latest version and its documentation.
What it is not
ESTROLABS is not an open source project and it is not a SaaS.
ESTROLABS is experimental by nature. Only released products are intended for general users, while the lab work itself is aimed at engineers and technical enthusiasts who care about systems at a deeper level.
Experiments and ongoing projects are not designs for general consumers. Only products that have been proven to be secure, efficient and intuitive are released for broader use.
Code is not released as traditional open source. While users have the right to inspect the code running on their systems, usage of that code requires a commercial license and explicit permission.
This lab does not optimise for third-party integrations as doing so would undermine its core values and long-term goals.
The work here is slow, experimental and imperfect by design.
Why it’s Public
Work is documented publicly because technology is not owned by one person. It is built by a community of people who improve it by sharing ideas and learning from each other.
If this work were done privately, it would take years to progress without real feedback or external perspective. By working in public, I can receive feedback, discover gaps in my understanding and improve decisions based on reality rather than assumptions.
Public documentation allows others to follow a small lab from its earliest experiments even if they do not have the time or expertise to do this work themselves. This gives visibility into different approaches and ways of thinking about systems.
Writing decisions down forces deeper research and clearer thinking. It turns vague ideas into concrete reasoning and reduces the risk of mistakes made purely in isolation., Feedback from others further helps shape and challenge those directions.
Readers should expect regular articles, including dev logs, general technical discussions and occasional tutorials.
How it’s Funded
This work is not sold as a product in its raw form. The research, documentation, and thinking are published openly and remain accessible.
ESTROLABS is funded through a combination of support, donations, and income from released products. People who value this work and want to see the lab continue help fund ongoing experiments and research.
Some projects result in usable products that are made available through a commercial license. Income from these licenses helps sustain the lab and fund future work.
Supporters enable long-term experimentation and allow ideas to be explored, refined, and turned into real projects and products while the process is documented publicly.
Supporters do not dictate direction or decisions. This funding model protects the work by keeping it accessible to everyone, while ensuring that commercial use contributes back to the lab through licensing.
What's Next
Design systems will be a long-term area of work, as a solid design system is essential for everything built on top of it. This work will evolve alongside other projects as it matures.
Work will also focus on low-level bare-metal programming using x64 assembly with FASM on Intel CPUs. This includes building core libraries and development tooling such as memory managers, allocators, and networking components, forming the foundation of the lab’s kernel work.
Readers will see a mix of tutorials, dev logs, and research articles, where specific topics are explored and discussed in detail.
All work is published on the ESTROLABS website, with additional ways to follow along via platforms such as Medium, dev.to, and Patreon.
Content is intended to be published daily in some form. When that is not possible, shorter updates will be shared through Patreon or other channels such as YouTube or X.
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